My RSA project | Initial design concepts presentation

There are already some differente models of reusable cups in the market.

Creating a paper cup monster-First attempt

My RSA project | User experience

My experience using the KeepCup is positive. I use it to get my take away tea or hot chocolate. Waiters don’t seem very used to see people carrying their own cups as they usually look at me funny when I ask them to serve the drink in my cup. So far it does the job it was created for, nevertheless I was told by another user of the KeepCup that the lid keeps odours like those of strongly scented herbal teas. 

Asking people I discovered that many don’t know about the problem that disposable cups are causing. They may think that most paper cups are recycled or they simply don’t realize of the magnitude of the problem. I also noticed that there are prejudices about materials like plastic. Some seem to distrust the hygiene of the reusable cups in the market and many think that it would be a nuisance to carry them.  Many people seem happy to give it a try if they get any discount or reward when using it. 

I think it is necessary to tell people about what this habit of using disposable cups (an other things) is costing the earth and what are the present and future consequences we are going to suffer if we all don’t do something. 

There are many products in the market right now that can fulfill different needs. It would be good if people could get to try them before buying them so there is an opportunity to make their prejudices disappear.

Visit to the V&A Museum

On Friday 19th November 2010 we visited an exhibition in the Victoria and Albert Museum called the Shadow Catchers. It was about photography without camera. How can that be?, was my first thought. Images are done by playing with light and shadow casted on the photography paper or chemically. The artists have a more interactive role than in photography made using camera as the final image depends on what has been done onto the paper directly, it is something half way between photography and painting.

The artists taking part in the exhibition were Floris Neusϋss, Pierre Cordier, Garry Fabian Miller, Susan Derges and Adam Fuss. I particularly liked the artworks of Pierre Cordier and Susan Derges.

Susan Derges was one artist I particularly liked. She used water to create many of her photograms. Processes like submerging sheets of photographic paper in rivers and using the moon and flashlight to create the exposure seem to me more of a ritual than a technical process. Images like the following look like a proper fairy tale landscape. There is something spiritual and magical in the way she has made those pictures.

Susan Derges-Arch 4 Summer

Another artist who made an impact on me was Pierre Cordier whose images are mysterious and detailed. He uses a wide variety of techniques and his pictures made me wonder in amazement how can they be done. I like that his images are certainly difficult to classify.

Pierre Cordier- 29/11/59

Pierre Cordier- 8/2/61

Pierre Cordier-Chemigram 20/3/92 from La Suma of Luis Borges

My RSA project | Project outline and schedule

Project outline

Eliminate or reduce the use of disposable cups by designing:

1. A campaign:

·         Promotional posters

·         Informative website explaining the environmental problem and showing the different models of reusable cups available in the market.

·         Logo that identifies those coffee shops that make discounts for using reusable cups.

2. A reusable cup

·         Lightweight

·         Barista standard sizes

·         Thermal

·         Pleasant to drink from

·         Hygienic (food safe and easy to clean completely)

·         Easy to produce

·         Leakage proof

·         Durable 

Schedule

Business for design: Mood board and object that represents my company

I wanted to express in my mood board the importance of sustainability, teamwork and good client relationships. I added some graphic and product projects that I find inspiring and think are good example of the work I would like to produce.

The object I chose to represent my company is a solar powered oven I recently saw in the Design Museum. The object is quite simply, practical, innovative and eco-friendly. The instructions are on the object itself, i.e. graphic and product design goes together. I want to set up a multidisplinary studio that creates projects in the areas of graphic and product design. I also like the concept of “cooking ideas”, getting the ingredients and preparing them untill the project is ”ready to serve”.